Generally, the Web contains information that resides in pages coded in static Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format. Numerous search engines are available that allow searching for specific information content within these pages. Typically, these engines rely on massive indices generated by Web crawlers. Web crawling describes a set of techniques that start from one or more Web locations, retrieve and index the information at that location or locations, and fan out to other Web locations by iterating through some number of links from the original source location. For each iteration, the crawler indexes the information and continues crawling through the Web.
Web-based information can also be stored and served to requestors from relational, object-oriented, or document-based databases. Lotus Notes/Domino is an example of a secure, document-based database system that stores information internally, dynamically generating an HTML rendering whenever a particular piece of information is requested. To the end user, the returned information is indistinguishable from that obtained from static Web pages. The difference is that standard Web search engines cannot index the pages originating from the database, because the information used in constructing the pages is dynamic and may be secured by a user id and password.
Lotus Notes has built-in search functions to search the dynamic content inside Notes databases, but such searching must take place on one server. If multiple databases, residing on two or more servers, need to be searched, the databases must be copied or replicated to a single server first. Furthermore, the servers must be cross-certified before replication can take place. This is the standard hub-and-spoke architecture for cross-site sharing of Notes-based information.
Specific examples of Web-based information stored in application databases are educational resources and materials. These resources and materials can be of many types: academic standards, instructional goals and objectives, assessment rubrics, benchmark examples of student work, lesson plans, student activities, and classroom or media resources. This information needs to be searched and retrieved by user interaction through standard Web browsers.